Considering the rigors of cardistry, how durable are the cards sold on Theory11, and which ones are the best overall? I want to buy some decks eventually, but I need to know how well they hold up, I regularly do springs, under pressure/fan, Lepaul spreads, one-handed shuffles, and faros, so I need really good cards.

Staff Member

All of our custom playing cards use the same stock and finish, so the durability and feel will be very similar. The only significant differences in durability and feel will come from environmental considerations like humidity and temperature while the decks are shipping. The design is the primary difference between our cards!

As for how durable they are, I'll let others tell you. I am biased. I also only ever use our cards.

Elite Member

I have been using the same Contraband deck many hours a day for the last year. Ok, it was in an air conditioned environment, and I wiped the edges twice since then, but it still fans and handles amazing. I still have 3 sealed and maybe about a hundred various decks that have been barely touched, but I still come back to this very deck every single day.

Just keep your hands clean (mostly) and as long as you know how to LePaul Spread without damaging the cards, your deck should last a long time...